Half of Hong Kong workers will consider quitting if employers ask them to spend more time in office: survey
- 51 per cent of 751 employees and jobseekers in city – part of 27,000 respondents across 30 countries – expressed ‘strong desire’ to work outside the office
- City’s figures are 14 per cent higher than global average, with more older workers wanting work-from-home arrangements than younger counterparts
Half of Hong Kong workers will consider quitting their jobs if employers ask them to spend more time in the office instead of offering flexible arrangements, a survey by a major recruitment agency has found.
Randstad Hong Kong revealed on Monday that 51 per cent of the 751 Hong Kong employees and jobseekers responding to a global survey wanted the choice to work from home and would threaten to resign if that condition was not met.
This figure was 14 percentage points higher than the global average, with 37 per cent of respondents deeming work-from-home arrangements as “non-negotiable”. A higher proportion of older Hongkongers prioritised work-life balance than younger ones.
The survey sampled 27,000 respondents aged 18 to 67 from more than 30 countries across Europe, North America, South America and Asia between October and November last year, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that turned hybrid work into a global culture.
Working from remote locations, including from home, became a widespread practice during the three years of the pandemic amid social-distancing measures.
“Flexibility should be understood in its entirety and complexity, and not just where and when employees are working. Rather, employers can explore offering greater autonomy to let people choose what’s best for them based on their professional desires and personal needs,” Randstad Hong Kong managing director Benjamin Elms said.
“By offering this kind of trust, companies can attract top employees who feel like they are part of a team that shares the same values.”